You might not have encountered the extravagant and profligate lifestyles of some controversial pastors from Africa, possibly because you have never been to their churches. But you must have surely heard or read the several stories of infamous political leaders on the continent who are notorious for being self-centred and outright greedy. Surely!
The problems of Africa may abound with major superpowers including China, Russia and the unmistakable America looking to reestablish their holds on the continent for economic gains. There is also no shying away from the fact that there are yet so many ‘smart’ individuals out there capitalizing on the unsuspecting intellects of the poor majority to amass quick wealth.
Truly, Christian churches in Africa are huge and so are their pastors. The same goes for the politicians on the continent. And indeed, there are several pastors, like politicians, who are living the letter doing what is required of them to make humanity and the continent of Africa a less frustrating place to live in.
Yet, isn’t it also ironic that for pastors (priests or preachers) and politicians, two of the most unavoidable and oldest jobs since the dawn of creation that require a basic requirement of service, the wheels they turn seem to have so sharply turned around?
Now, it is too obvious to see without being told or waiting to read it from any investigation that people are rushing into these trades merely for the goodies they come with. It would not have been such a big issue to be talking about but it scares the soul to learn how intelligently people are going about it.
Let’s bring into more perspective the situation of politics and priesthood. Consider these examples, for instance.
Regarded the wealthiest preacher in Africa, controversial South African preacher, ‘Prophet’ Shepherd Bushiri, was recently arrested and then charged with money laundering and fraud. He is alleged to have taken cases of cash out of the country on one of his private jets.
Bushiri, 35, has amassed a personal fortune of £120 million, which he calls ‘miracle money’, since he established his Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) churches across Africa.
Also in this year alone, another pastor from South Africa, Pastor Alpha Lukau, went viral for what he claimed was a resurrection from the dead miracle that he performed on one of his church members. This case of a miracle from this pastor’s church gained even more attention after it emerged that the funeral firm supposedly in charge of the items used for the ceremony that was captured on video, came out to indicate that it was swayed into deceit and had no records of any such dead person. The company decided to sue the pastor and his church.
But that is not the only mischievous thing about this Pastor. He is also known for his public display of wealth, including the flamboyant ways he drives to church – in a motorcade with fleets of luxurious cars, very much akin to the typical motorcades of politicians on the continent.
